Be a good neighbor

Published 8:00 pm, Wednesday, August 11, 2010

As illustrated in photos on today’s front page, Evangel Live Assembly of God is teaching children through its Vacation Bible School exactly what it means to be a good neighbor.

The kids understood. They demonstrated throughout the evening’s events that being a good neighbor meant cooperating, even when they didn’t want to, and showing kindness, even when they weren’t exactly “friends” with another child. One example — during a frenzied relay race, they laughed with joy when their partner messed up, and they didn’t cast blame or get angry.

In today’s fast-paced society, it seems adults could take lessons from these kids. Everywhere we look, we see instances of adults being short with each other and being unkind. On the roadways, drivers honk and gesture when the car ahead of them is driving too slow. In the grocery story, people shove past each other and avoid looking each other in the eye. In communities, neighbors live next to each other for years without ever saying hello.

The volunteers and ministers at Evangel Life’s Vacation Bible School on Wednesday taught the children what it means to be a good neighbor with a parable used by Jesus. We thought it might do the community some good to be reminded of that lesson, as well.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”